


Bonds of Agony

by probablyferal



Category: Warcraft - All Media Types, World of Warcraft
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alliance, Canon-Typical Violence, Cross Faction Interaction, Death, Destruction, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/F, F/M, Horde
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-21
Updated: 2017-12-21
Packaged: 2019-02-18 02:37:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13090635
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/probablyferal/pseuds/probablyferal
Summary: So many pushed together in the city of Dalaran, it's a wonder that the city itself doesn't explode in a right mess instantly. Thank the Light for the Underbelly. Everyone is always trying to make a buck, and profit off of each other, however. When a warrior meets who he thinks is a high elf with a talent for cards, everything starts to go sideways for him and his friends. What starts out as chance encounter ends up being something much more. Can one's lust for blood save the other? Where do the lines cross, and what is the end game?





	Bonds of Agony

**Author's Note:**

> "The strongest of bonds is one which shares pain and pleasure equally." - Kanrethad Ebonlocke
> 
> Thank you for reading! It's my first work of real substance. Here's seeing how this goes. I'll try to keep the updates on Wednesdays, but I'll be sure to let you know if that schedule changes.

One Week Ago

“You’re cheating!” The orc’s voice was so pitched in mock disgust that even the human let out a laugh.

A blond elf practically crawled over the table to peer at his hand, which the human promptly lifted into air to avoid her pawing hands. Elves in general were always an interest to him, but this one in particular used her… Assets… To her advantage. The shoulder of her robe slipped further and further down her arm giving him a glorious view, in turn he put the cards further from her reach, which landed the elf practically in his lap.

“Come now! We can’t have a cheater in our midst!” She winked, a hand on his knee. This sort of teasing had become common place since the orc had invited both the human, the elf, and the human’s partner, a gnome mage, to play a card game with him.

Leaning back the human grinned down at the smiling elf, “if I’m cheating, then so are you, my dear,” his voice was sing song, and the pout of her face was perfect. But, she retreated, much to the chagrin of the gnome who also was enjoying his view. None of it rightly mattered that the orc, human and gnome were losing money to her. She had at least made it somewhat worth their loses.

“Let’s draw! I’m tired of toddling!” The high voice of the mage who insisted upon being called Flash Freeze, in spite of his name being Fellin, “papa needs a new mount!”

With a plop, the elf landed in the seat next to him, she turned a sly smile in his direction as she drew a card, “now, now, don’t count your robochickens before they hatch.”

The human’s brow rose at her taunt as he too drew a card. The orc followed suit, then Fellin. The orc was a common fixture at the Legerdemain in Dalaran, the human having shared an ale or two with him before. But, the smugness on his face was a new emotion. As far as he was concerned, orc’s usually had three looks – rage, apathy, and drooling when they slept. Fellin was ever impatient, and the calm and collected nature of the elf. Well. He was positive she was actually cheating, but there was no proof. Her robe wasn’t long enough to cover her arms, and if she was making cards appear from thin air, well, she deserved to win. He’d personally never seen such sleight of hand before.

“Present,” the elf sang, laying her hand flush across the little table between the four of them. She eyed the cards that came across the table, clicking her tongue at the gnome, “tough luck for you. The gods don’t favor you that much, do they?”

“That’s it! I’m done!” The gnome squeaked, jumping from the cushioned seat, “I can’t figure out how you’re doing it! And you’re sitting right next to me!”

“Doing what?” Her voice was sickly sweet, and the orc next to her had a smirk on his face. Ah, so the game was rigged all along. These two must work together, the human concluded. He also rose, but not out of annoyance, but in respect for his little friend.

“It was pleasure doing business with you, Allston,” she winked again, tilting her head to the side, “I suppose that just how it goes. No one likes losing to a woman.”

The human chuckled, “no, but he is my friend. I do need to check on him,” Allston offered a bow, excusing himself from the elf and the orc. He hurried after his tiny friend. 

Outside in the darkness of the city of Dalaran the gnome raged for all his tiny worth. That the elf was a temptress, that the orc must have been a bad shuffler. That she had to have cheated him out of his twenty gold.

“Hush now, Fellin, even if you won, it would have only been one hundred you got back,” he said solemnly. The two walked on toward the Alliance hub, Greyfang Enclave. Allston recalled when it was the Silver Enclave, long before Fellin had joined him in his adventures. 

“She was using magic! I just can’t figure out how! There is no way someone like that could be so talented at a game, and not use magic to sway the odds in her favor!”

Allston rolled his eyes, making way for the tiny irritant. It was just gold. He’d make it back and then some. Unlike the mage, he actually had talents he could put to use and sell his wares. He wasn’t just a champion to the Alliance.

Within the Legerdemain, the elf counted the gold coins with care, splitting the pile evenly. The orc got his portion returned to him, as did she. And each with a shining pile of twenty extra added to it.

“I would think it would become harder at some point,” she said quietly, “it’s like a never-ending tide of idiots. Flash some shoulder, wink here or there.”

Her sigh drew the attention of the orc, “Lanna,” he frowned but continued in orcish, “you’re as conniving as you are beautiful. I’m happy you’re back, but, you think stealing from lust-sick adventurers is going to quench your thirst?”

“Hardly,” she laughed, “but, I know where we can go to solve that problem, my sweet Ko’Gun.”

The orc looked on inquisitively as she smiled, placing the gold in her purse. When his comrade had an idea it always ended in something interesting. She didn’t earn the title of a Centurion solely based on her good looks, after all.

“Shall I see if the rest of our party is willing?”

“Oh, that’s a lovely idea,” she smiled sweetly. Ko’Gun shuddered, knowing what was coming next.

 

\---------------------------------------------------

 

Allston wouldn’t consider himself anything more than an Alliance solider. That’s where he started. That’s where he’d probably end, if the Legion didn’t get him first. Stormwind was home, and always had been home. He felt he was fairly average by all counts, but his gnome friend constantly reminded him that he was insanely tall, and just a bundle of muscle hiding under plate mail. When he had first met the gnome, it was under more dire circumstances, and the conclusion of the Wrathgate had just come to a head. He and his own guild mates had helped the rush on Ice Crown, and well. Well, the rest was history. 

Now, that same gnome was chattering angrily at the situation. He was out twenty gold, and wanted his money back. It had been two days. Fellin wasn’t tall, nor exquisite in any way. At least, to Allston. From what he gathered, the gnome ladies all found him to be rather enthralling, which was just something the human warrior didn’t want to think about. The mental imagery was unpleasant, at best. Not to say he didn’t have his own fair share of women, human, elf and otherwise coming onto him. But, there was something about sharing a bed with someone the size of your thigh that seemed mighty disturbing.

“Look, why don’t you put that big brain of yours to use?” Allston replied dully, “you’re always going on and on about how you’ve trained with the Kirin Tor, and know sooo much about enchanting. Why not go and get the materials you need, and flip a profit?”

The gnome looked outraged. From his vantage point on top of a table in the court yard, he could almost be formidable. He folded his small arms with gusto, frowning. And for the first time in two days, he was silent.

Allston shrugged. He had been seated and watching a rather invigorating gate of Hearthstone, but the players had long abandoned their place in favor of more quiet accommodations, “you want the gold? Go get the gold,” he added.

“No, it’s the principle of the matter!” The gnome declared with a pointed finger in the air, “we’ve been kept on this stupid floating rock for months without a single lead on the Legion, and that, that,” he grasped for the word. 

“Lovely elf?”

“Bitch,” he hissed in response, “that bitch took my hard earned gold. Why I should march over there and demand it back!”

Allston rolled his eyes, “she’ll move you away with her foot. You scant come up to her knee.”

The gnome seemed deflated. He cleared his throat, seating himself on the table to look at the human, “well, then, what was your suggestion?”

“Go out. Leave the rock. Have some adventure.”

“I’m far too old for adventures. I’ve done my duty to the Alliance and the Kirin Tor!”

“You’re scared of your own shadow,” the warrior chuckled, “I’m leaving for Aszuna tomorrow. Come with me instead of drinking away your anger.”

The gnome looked like he was deep in thought. Allston rested his elbows on the table and his head in his hands. For someone so adept at frost magics, he was certainly a child about getting his robes dirty.

“And what do I get out of this?”

“Undying love and affection from those in need? Maybe even a few gold for favors. Who knows. You won’t know unless you go look.”

“Why do you even care about the people on that stupid island?”

Allston gave a half-hearted shrug, “it’s better than pissing away our time here, don’t you think? Plus, with such a small space, I get to get the rust off my swords. So many Horde and Alliance packed together, shit is bound to happen.”

Fellin looked disturbed at that. Which seemed opposite most mages. In fact, most mages Allston had come across seemed to lust for blood – which is why they left the Kirin Tor to start with. Then again, Fellin was not a typical mage. In likes and dislikes, and height and studies. His love of frost seemed to worry others, but he was a beast against demons. All two feet of him.

“And, if things do go sideways? You’re be there to help?”

“Have I ever left you hanging?”

“Why actually,” the gnome squeaked.

Allston waved his hand, “I hung you by your robes once, and it was to keep fel hounds from you. Stop your whining. Go get packed. Grab some rations. Let’s do something before I use you for target practice, you blinking nit.”

And with that, Allston left the gnome sitting there dumbfounded. Had he really just agreed to such a thing? Aszuna was full of ghosts and demons. He wasn’t certain he was cut out to travel alone with the warrior, no matter how long he had known the brute. He shuddered. That brute enjoyed the arena, and enjoyed picking fights. He was going to end up hanging from a tree again, he just knew it.


End file.
